Pocket for pool tables



J. H. MccooL- 2,196,836

POCKET FOR POOL TABLES Filed Oct. 18, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR. JAMEs H; McCOoL BY ATTORNEY.

April 9, 1940. J. H. McCOOL POCKET FOR POOL mamas Filed Oct. '18. 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n :1:lnlilli'ltinlinll'- ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES POCKET Fo a POOL TABLES' James H. McGool, Moline, Kans.

Application October 18, 1937, Serial No. 169,679

and prevent it from rebounding out of the pocket I after once clearing the entrance thereto.

My invention is primarily designed for use with tables having troughs or rails to carry the balls from the pockets to a central or common position for tallying or the like. In prior art devices of this nature, trouble has been encountered with the balls rebounding from the pocket and otherwise not satisfactorily passing into the pocket and from there to the rails or trough. It has also been found that where there is no resiliency provided in the pocket the continuous pounding of the ball will wear out the leather or other covering in the pocket. I

To overcome the above-mentioned and other difficulties I have devised a pocket construction in which the objects are as follows:

First; to provide a pocket construction in which the shock of hard hit balls will be taken up so as to prevent rebounding.

Second; to provide a pocket construction in which the ball will be received by the pocket and directed from said pocket to a'runway, trough or the like, which will conduct the ball to a central location.

Third; to'provide a pocket construction which facilitates the easy removal of the rails with a minimum of disassembly.

Fourth; to provide a flexible pocket construction which will eliminate or minimize wear on the pocket which may be caused by the action of the ball.

These and other objects of the invention as well as the advantages, construction and operation thereof, will be clearly apparent by reference to the following description in. connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a corner of a pool table showing the pocket.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the side edge of a pool table showing the side pocket.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional View through the corner pocket showing details of con struction.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view through the side pocket with construction details.

Fig.7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View on the line l,-'l of Fig. 6. r

Fig. 8 is a disassociated view of the hinged'rail segment construction. p

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevational view of the 6 upper portion of a table constructed in accordance with my invention, parts being broken away to better illustrate certain other parts.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of a sidepocket constructed in accordance with my invention.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference I designates a recreationv table, top which is ordinarily made of slate or some other suitable material. A rail "2 may be suitably se- 15 cured to the table top, the table sides 3 supporting the top I in any desirable manner.

The wall 4 in connection with the tables 3 may form a runway 5 in'which tracks 6 are positioned, said tracks being adapted to carry balls 6', track '20 supports 1 being provided at periodic intervals between the Wall '4 and the table sides 3.

At the corners of the table and midway between the corners on the long side of the'table the rails 2 are provided with openings 8' and 9'. In the rear of the openings 8 and 9 are provided swinging members or rail segments Ill and H; The upper end of the'segments' ill and II carry flange l2 and I3,"angle M securing the flanges l2. and-- I3 to depending lip l5 of pivot tube I6, sleeved on shaft I! which is journaled in supporting-members I 8 and I 8' suitably fastened to r'ails'Z. An elongated slot l9 isp'rovided in pivot tube It, through which. slot the pin 20 may project, said pin beingsecured to shaft IT, a notch 21 extending downwardly from slot I9 and adapted to retain the pin 20 in fixed longitudinal position. A pad 22 of suitablevco-nstruction may also be secured to the lip I5 and depend into the pocket to provide a shock absorbing member against which the balls hit'into the pocket will strike.

Secured to the bottom of the rail segments l0 and II are inclined ball carrying members 23 and I 23' preferably made of canvas or a similar materail. The end of the ball carrying members 23 v and 23' remote from the rail segments arecarried by rollers 24 journaled in brackets 25 and 25'. A weight 26 is secured to each of the members 23 and 23 and tend to keep said members in taut position. 'Stops 2! keep rail segments in rail segments I and H are provided with pads 29 and 29' to assist in deadening the impact of hard driven balls thereby preventing undue wear and eliminating any undesirable noise which might otherwise occur.-

Under ordinary conditions when a ball is rolled into a pocket the ball will strike pad 22 and gravitate onto the canvas runway 23 rolling down said runway and then deflected by curved ball deflector 28 passing into the runway and dropping onto the inclined tracks 6 which will carry the ball to any desired location. When a ball is hit particularly hard it will force the pad 22 back against pad 29 causing rail segment H) or H as the, case may be, to pivot on shaft ll, drawing canvas runway 23 outward on rollers 24, the Weight 26 being adapted to carry the parts back to normal position after the ball has left the canvas runway. Since the walls 4 extend merely a. short distance below the rails 6, the position of the weights 26 is such as to allow adjustment thereof in the event such adjustment is necessary.

The construction of the pockets facilitates easy removal thereof and of the rails. The ends of the shafts I! extend into openings 11 in the rails. When the fastening means holding the rails 2 to the table are removed, the pin 2!] is moved upwardly in notch 2| and to the right or left as desired in slot 19 moving the end of the shaft ll free from the rail, to allow removal of said rail.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided a pocket construction which will function perfectly in the reception of and the forwarding of a ball from the table to a suitable track provided for that purpose,

The pocket is easily accessible for repairs and does not require dismantling of the entire playing table with attendant loss of use for long periods of time. The entrance of hard driven balls into 40 the pocket will not cause loud and unpleasant sounds which are present in some of the present day tables. Undue wear caused by the constant contact of the balls against the rear of the pocket will be eliminated.

Numerous changes in form, proportion and details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and all rights are reserved to such changes as come within the scope of the principles covered by this specification and the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a recreation table having pockets therein, a free swinging, flexible pocket flap transversely positioned in the pockets and free at the sides thereof whereby balls entering the pocket will strike against said pocket flap.

2. In a recreation table having pockets therein, a flexible pocket flap transversely positioned in the pockets and free at the sides thereof, said pocket flap being swingingly secured at its upper edge, whereby said pocket flap will give Way when balls entering the pocket strike against said pocket flap.

3. In a recreation table having pockets therein, a substantially flat flexible pocket flap transversely positioned in the pockets, free at the sides and spaced from the rear thereof, whereby said pocket flap will give way when balls entering the pocket strike against said pocket flap.

4. In a recreation table having pockets and rails thereon, the portions of the rail at the pockets comprising a pivoted segment of said rail.

5. In a recreation table having pockets and rails thereon, the portions of the rail at the pockets comprising a pivoted segment of said rail, said pivoted segment being swingingly supported at its upper edge.

6. In a recreation table having pockets and rails thereon, the portions of the rail at the pockets comprising a pivoted segment of said rail, said pivoted segments being removably mounted transversely of the pocket.

7. In a recreation table having pockets and rails thereon, the portions of the rail at the pockets comprising a pivoted segment of said rail, a sleeve member transversely mounted adjacent the top of the pocket, said pivoted segment being secured to the sleeve member.

8. In a recreation table having pockets and rails thereon, the portions of the rail at the pockets comprising a pivoted segment of said rail, a sleeve member transversely and removably mounted adjacent the top of the pocket, said pivoted segment being secured to the sleeve member.

9. In a recreation table having pockets therein,

. a free swinging, flexible pocket flap transversely positioned in the pockets and free at the sides thereof whereby ball entering the pocket will strike against said pocket flap, and a flexible member secured at one end thereof and free at the sides to form the bottom of the pocket.

10. In a recreation table having pockets and rails thereon, the portion of the rail at the pockets comprising a pivoted segment of said rail, and a flexible member secured to the pivoted segment and comprising the bottom of the pocket.

11. In a recreation table having pockets therein, a free swinging, flexible pocket flap transversely positioned in the pockets and free at the sides thereof whereby balls entering the pocket will strike against said pocket flap, and a flexible member secured at one end thereof and free at the sides to form the bottom of the pocket, said flexible member being inclined to provide a pathway for the balls leaving the pocket.

12. In a recreation table having pockets and rails thereon, the portion of the rail at the pockets comprising a pivoted segment of said rail, and a flexible member having one end secured to the pivoted segment and the other end rollingly supported to provide a bottom for the pocket.

13. In a recreation table having pockets and rails thereon, the portion of the rail at the pockets comprising a pivoted segment of said rail, and a flexible member having one end secured to the pivoted segment and the other end rollingly supported to provide a bottom for the pocket, and a weight to maintain the bottom in taut position.

14. In a recreation table having pockets therein, a free swinging, flexible pocket flap positioned in the pockets and transversely thereof whereby balls entering the pocket will strike against said pocket flap, guides leading the balls out of the pockets and curved deflectors in the path of the balls to direct the balls off the guides.

15. In a recreation table having pockets therein, and runways for carrying the balls to a central location, a flexible pocket flap positioned in the pockets and transversely thereof, guides leading the balls out of the pockets and curved deflectors in the path of the balls to direct the balls off the guides onto the runway.

JAMES H. McCOOL. 

